Setsu Niseko is set to breathe new life into Niseko's culinary landscape.
The highly anticipated opening of Setsu Niseko later this year will mark the completion of one of Niseko’s most ambitious and exciting condominium hotel developments in recent times. Every element of the hotel experience has been meticulously thought-out, from the sleek Japan-inspired apartments and suites (some of which are still available for sale) to the extensive catalogue of wellness experiences.
Setsu Niseko
Where Setsu Niseko will perhaps make its biggest impression on Niseko, however, is the arrival of five new restaurants, which will be led by some of the industry’s most revered chefs, sommeliers and baristas. Niseko has long been known for punching above its weight in Japan’s sophisticated culinary scene, and these restaurants will undoubtedly bolster this reputation.
méli mélo Yuki No Koe
Setsu Niseko’s flagship restaurant, méli mélo, is a fascinating partnership between two stalwarts of Sapporo dining, Chef Hironori Sato from Sapporo’s Michellin-starred méli mélo, and Masaya Ishii from coffeehouse ‘Baristart Coffee’ – known for using Biei Jersey milk in its desserts and coffee.
The collaboration will see Sato and Ishii continue to draw inspiration from the natural environment, with a menu featuring ingredients sourced from local producers including Tsukigata Farm (rice), Harukichi Farm (vegetables), and Uchiyama Farm (asparagus). Diners will bask in views of Mt. Yotei in a dramatic open-plan dining space with floor-to-ceiling windows.
méli mélo -Yuki No Koe-
The all-day venue will serve “perfectly executed” Western and Japanese comfort foods through the day, before dialling things up a notch for dinner with a carefully curated seasonal course menu (à la carte also available).
Those who crave a caffeinated kick-start to their day will be pleased to hear that méli mélo’s baristas take their coffee very seriously, describing their pursuit of the perfect cup as a “healthy obsession”. The restaurant uses the darker, full-bodied Robusta blend, which they say is the ultimate complement to the rich creaminess of Hokkaido’s Biei Jersey milk.
Sushi Kato Inori
Seafood veteran Kato Toshiaki, 3rd generation of the renowned Kato Seafoods, will draw upon five decades of experience in his latest culinary venture, which promises to bring visitors to Niseko an unparalleled ocean-to-table experience.
Sushi Kato INORI
Diners can expect to be treated to the finest sea urchin, hairy crab, fresh flounder, enormous scallops and fatty tuna caught in the coastal water of Iwanai, which are hand-selected at the markets each day by the Sushi Kato team.
Along with sushi and sashimi, the restaurant will offer a kaiseki menu featuring local rice and the freshest Hokkaido ingredients, including the region’s famed Shiraoi wagyu beef.
Tempura Araki
Many will be familiar with tempura, but perhaps not accustomed to the level of mastery that Chef Araki’s team have achieved through this single cooking method, for which they have been awarded two Michelin stars at sister restaurant Tempura Araki in Sapporo.
“Like artists, Chefs use a brush to apply the flour, meticulously dunking battered pieces into one of two pots of oil, infused with aromas of sesame and mountain vegetables.”
The restaurant features omakase-style dining, which essentially gives Chef Araki Yoshiyuki a license to select the day’s menu from the freshest and most appealing ingredients available. Dishes might include subtly flavoured squid, Japanese barracuda, kisu Japanese whiting, or sticky rice topped with seafood and a rainbow of vegetables.
Tempura Araki
The intimate dining experience at Tempura Araki is an attraction in its own right. Set in a small dining room seating only six and centred around a splendid wooden Japanese cypress counter, guests are given a private demonstration of the chefs’ exquisite craftsmanship.
Luke’s Oyster Bar & Chop House
Over a 10-year period, Luke’s Oyster Bar & Chop House has become somewhat of an institution in Singapore, where Chef Travis Masiero first realised his vision for a classic European-style eatery featuring cooking styles from America’s east coast (Masiero is Boston born and raised).
Luke’s Oyster Bar & Chop House
Luke’s will now bring its trademark warm hospitality, plump oysters and perfectly grilled steaks to Niseko, with a plan to introduce seasonal produce from Hokkaido’s famed east coast.
Wine is equally part of the experience at Luke’s, with an obsessive level attention given to the selection of varieties that balance and bring out the flavours of the food.
AFURI
There’s nothing quite like a healthy serving of noodles to get you through a big day on the slopes, but make no mistake, AFURI is no ordinary lunchtime pit-stop. The Tokyo-born restaurant’s famous Yuzu Ramen is created from noodles that are made daily by highly skilled chefs, who will be on display for all to see in AFURI’s open concept kitchen.
AFURI Nisekofood
The broth will use natural spring water from the foot of Mt. Yotei, and will be prepared with a reduction of local chicken, dry fish “niboshi” “katsuobushi”, dry konbu seaweed and vegetables.
If that’s not enough to get you energised for your next run down Miharashi, then you can try AFURI’s signature “winged gyoza dumplings”, available steamed or fried (and also as a vegan option).
Invest in Setsu Niseko
Setsu Niseko offers you the rare opportunity of the best of both worlds – providing a cherished home for the holidays and a freehold investment opportunity in one of the finest ski resorts in the world.
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